Thorn Service 2011

Thorn Service 2011

 This year the Thorn service will be at

8:00pm on 30th June. 

As usual it will be open air so come in whatever clothing the weather might dictate. Bring something to sit on if you don't want to stand for 3/4 hour, and remember that apart from not having a roof there are no toilets.

The site is where the earliest Houghton Regis Baptist church stood. Currently the site is within farm land on the right hand side of the link road between the road to Toddington and the A5. 

We hold an open air service every year at the Thorn site - the parent church of Houghton Regis Baptist.  The history reads like this:-

In 1694 William Brittan (of Houghton) played a large part in the development of the Baptist movement in this area. He led meetings in members' homes in both Dunstable and Houghton.  This laid the foundation of the first Baptist church in Dunstable.  However, brother Marsom of Luton donated a piece of ground in Park Street, Luton, built a chapel on it, and appointed a pastor of his own choice.  A small group of Houghton & Dunstable Baptists joined him and they attended meetings in Luton for many years.  The represented communities within that Park Street church grew and eventually it was decided that the various groups should have meeting places closer to home.  Among the Houghton group in attendance at this time was Thomas Bunker of Thorn.  It was decided that the new "Houghton" site should be in Thorn (near the village green), on land owned by Thomas Bunker.  A meeting house was erected on this site in 1738 and used for worship for half a century.  Along with churches at Markyate, Bendish, and Breachwood Green, the Thorn church was administered by a group of "associate pastors" under the wing of Park Street.

In 1751 the Thorn Church became autonomous from Park Street. Its first minister being Thomas Bunker (thought to be the son of the Thomas Bunker who originally provided the land), who had been one of the associate pastors of the Park Street group of churches. 

Houghton Regis folk grew in number and so the church moved into the village. Originally they used a pair of cottages which were then extended using the actual bricks from the Thorn chapel.  This is why there is only the site and no building at Thorn.

THORN 1738 - 2011  (keith wallis)

This quiet spot,

this quiet evening,

an echo of

“Be still”.

Written on grassy parchment

the resonance of God’s house

from ‘once upon a time’

generations ago.

The only markings left: timeworn gravestones,

foundation indentations,

and a new generation

who worship

occasionally

on this quiet spot

and remember those

whose tears and laughter

lead them to the house of God.

This quiet spot

speaking again:

‘with my mouth I will make

Your faithfulness known

through all generations’.*

                                                                                 

 *Psalm 89 v1b